Is classic rock dead? Hell no. Just look at the likes of Greta Van Fleet, Dirty Honey and Tyler Bryant, who have all built loyal followings rabid for that nostalgic dirty electric guitar-driven sound.
And now, another band looking to stoke the flames of straight-talking rock 'n' roll is Bomber, a four-piece from Malmö, Sweden who are on the cusp of releasing their debut album, Nocturnal Creatures.
Their catalog currently consists of a single song – the lead cut from the album, Zarathustra – but its three-minute-22-second runtime is more than enough to offer a substantial taste of their sound. It's packed full of catchy hooks, attitude-y powerchords and killer riffs, and positions Bomber as one of the most promising new acts in the modern classic rock scene.
In this new playthrough of the track, premiered by Guitar World, guitarists Anton Sköld and Max Huddén wield Gibson Les Pauls – a 1972 Deluxe and a 1996 Standard, respectively – to put its gritty riffs and head-spinning leads on full display. Check it out above.
To bring his guitar to life, Sköld runs through a 1981 Marshall 50W Super Lead and minimal effects, apart from a touch of chorus, reverb or delay. “When we crank our old Marshalls, you don't hear anything but an ear-deafening roar anyway,” he says.
On the album, “every song is based on a double rhythm track done with the Les Pauls and Marshalls,” Sköld explains. “Once we got those takes perfect we did a lot of overdubbing to create a wall of sound. You will hear a lot of clean guitar sounds in addition to the distorted sounds. That creates a much fuller and more luxurious feel.”
Huddén, on the other hand, plays through a more complex effects setup than his co-guitarist, utilizing a T-Rex Replica delay, Boss CH-1 Super Chorus, Dunlop wah and an MXR Custom Audio Electronics MC-402 boost/overdrive.
He also doubles the power, opting for a 100W 1982 Marshall Super Lead 2203 plugged in to '70s Marshall cab loaded with Celestion Blackback speakers.
As he explains: “That combination is a classic killer and delivers those Marshall tones of the '80s, which is what we're looking for in Bomber.”
- Bomber's debut album Nocturnal Creatures arrives March 25 via Napalm Records.
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